The NBA Playoffs are underway – and one rookie who is right in the middle of it during his very first year is Quinten Post. The 24-year-old rookie of the Golden State Warriors averaged a solid 18.27 minutes on the court during the first two games of the series against the Houston Rockets.
Tonight, Game 3 heads back to San Francisco. It’s a story that took him from Amsterdam, through Germany and the United States, all the way to the biggest basketball stage in the world.
Quinten Post was born in Amsterdam and celebrated his first major success during the 2017/18 season, winning the Dutch U18 Championship with his team – as the starting center. It was the first major step on an incredible journey.
His next stop: Berlin. During the 2018/19 season, he played for the youth program of Alba Berlin as well as for SSV Lok Bernau. He averaged 15.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Even though his time in Germany was six years ago, Quinten hasn’t forgotten how to speak German. He first answered a few of my questions in German, before we decided to switch to English after two or three questions.
“I lived in Berlin, speaking German is not the best – but I understand everything,” he says, laughing. “I haven’t spoken German in three years.”
At that point, a few of his teammates looked over, visibly confused – probably not realizing that Quinten actually speaks German quite well.
I asked Quinten how he experienced his time with Alba Berlin – both on and off the court.
“Alba was a huge opportunity for me. Basketball isn’t very big in the Netherlands. For me, it was a big step to leave home and play in such a professional environment. They had so many good guys there: Franz Wagner, Jonas Mattisseck, Hendrik Drescher, Lawrence Brennecke, Martin Dehlo – everyone was there. It was such a strong group that I could learn a lot from. That really shaped my path.”
I also wanted to know how he views the difference between European and American basketball development – especially with his experience from both the Netherlands and Germany.
“I think they just teach basketball differently in Europe. The structure is different. Playing professional basketball at 18 really elevates your game. You’re competing against grown men – it’s a completely different world compared to AAU or high school basketball here in the U.S. There, they focus a lot more on individual skills. Even as a big man, I worked on my ball-handling, my shooting, my game IQ. When I came to the U.S., I physically struggled during my first college year, but mentally I felt like I had a really good feel for the game.”
In 2019, he took the leap to the U.S. and joined Mississippi State University. He played there for two years but averaged only 8.7 minutes of playing time per game. Instead of getting discouraged, Post decided to make a fresh start in 2021 – transferring to Boston College.
A move that paid off: In his junior year, he was named to the ACC All-Tournament Second Team. In his senior season, he took on even more responsibility, starting in 14 of 19 games and being named the ACC’s “Most Improved Player.” His stats: 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
And it kept going up: In his final college season, he averaged 17.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, nearly 3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. He was again selected to the ACC All-Tournament Second Team – as well as the All-ACC Second Team and the ACC All-Defensive Team. From a promising talent, he had become a complete player.
At the 2024 NBA Draft, Quinten Post was eventually selected 52nd overall – initially on a Two-Way Contract.
“It’s all about confidence. You get sent to the G League, you start at the bottom. But you just have to put your head down and work. I got my opportunity – and I made the most of it. Then the real contract came. That meant everything to me.”
On December 30, 2024, Quinten made his NBA debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers, logging five minutes of playing time. Just three weeks later, on January 23, 2025, he really made a name for himself: In only 20 minutes, he recorded 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and five three-pointers.
What would he tell his younger self from Amsterdam today?
“Thats a good question – I wish I had believed in myself more back then. I never really thought I could make it to the NBA. I never told anyone because I thought: What are the chances? I wish I had had the courage to say it out loud.”
It’s definitely something Quinten wants to pass on to others in the future:
“I haven’t had much contact with younger players this year, but yes – that’s definitely something I want to pass on. You have to believe in yourself. It’s important to dream big.”
At the very end, I had to throw in a little off-topic question. I asked him if there’s a German word that stuck with him or if he has a favorite word in German. He laughs – and without hesitation says:
“Schmetterling.”
